TFPRreport and TFPJSONReport need some clarifications. Maybe MVC can confirm/correct the below:

TFPRreport:
- Report design can be setup by code *only*.
- TFPReportData components must be linked to TFRReport by code
- Can invoke the IDE integrated editor to design reports and open/save them from/to file. But they are useless to TFPRreport.

TFPJSONReport:
- Report design can be setup by code.
- Can load/save report designs from/to file/stream/json (discarding design data if any).
- TFPReportData components have to be linked to TFPJSONReport by code (sample code is needed when the report is loaded from file)
- Can invoke the IDE integrated editor to design reports that are loaded/saved from/to the lfm only.
- The IDE integrated editor cannot open a report designed by the standalone designer, or save a file to be used by the standalone designer. Note: Actually it can currently open a file, but possibly with nasty side effects.

Stephano
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Not correct. You can load from file. See WIKI, I added a section on that.

- TFPReportData components must be linked to TFRReport by code

This is always so, but:

The IDE contains a menu item in the component editor that links the available datasets to the report to make this easier.

See also below for improvements in runtime.

- Can invoke the IDE integrated editor to design reports and open/save them from/to file. But they are useless to TFPRreport.

Not correct. You can load the design from file.
It doesn't happen 'out of the box' of course.

TFPJSONReport: - Report design can be setup by code.

Correct.

- Can load/save report designs from/to file/stream/json (discarding design data if any).

Correct.

- TFPReportData components have to be linked to TFPJSONReport by code (sample code is needed when the report is loaded from file)

Correct.

- Can invoke the IDE integrated editor to design reports that are loaded/saved from/to the lfm only.

They can also be loaded/saved to file, if you so desire.

- The IDE integrated editor cannot open a report designed by the standalone designer, or save a file to be used by the standalone designer. Note: Actually it can currently open a file, but possibly with nasty side effects.

It should definitely be able to open it. What happens with the data, this is up for discussion. Currently I am toying with the idea that the IDE offers to add the missing data definitions to the form.

I want to refactor the data handling a little so it can be used outside the designer - as you noticed, when loading a design from file, the data definitions are discarded. Then the loading in IDE can be improved...

Please look at the WIKI, http://wiki.freepascal.org/FPReport, I added some explanations. I will add the 'Lazarus support' page after lunch.

Michael.